Loud speaker cabinet including a horn



May 14, 1957 E. J. GATELY, JR

LOUD SPEAKER CABINET INCLUDING A HORN Filed April 21. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTR.`

EDWARD J. GATELY, JR.

Arron/Ex May 14, 1957 E. J. GATELY, JR

LOUD SPEAKER CABINET INCLUDING A HORN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 21, 1952 INVENTOR.

E D WARD J. GATELY, JR.

A TTORNE X May 14, 1957 E. J. GATELY, JR 2,792,069

LOUD SPEAKER CABINET INCLUDING A HORN Filed April 21, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 J'y. 8 b.

INVENTOR.

EDWARD d. GATELY, JR.

4' rrpRNEx United States Patent@ LOUD SPEAKER CABINET INCLUDING A HORN Edward J. Gately, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 21, 1952, Serial No. 283,400

7 Claims. (Cl. 181-31) The present invention relates to acoustic devices and more particularly to horns used in conjunction with loud speakers for amplifying the low-frequency notes generated by a loud speaker.

An object of the present invention is to .fprovide a compact exponential horn.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a compact exponential horn for use with three adjacent surfaces, such as the corner of a room.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a compact acoustic amplifier for low-frequency notes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a compact inexpensive horn for reproducing, with great fidelity, notes of low frequencies, for example below 600 C. P. S.

Further objects will be apparent by reference to the appended specification, claims and drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters represent like parts:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the acoustic device of the present invention at the intersection of three planar surfaces.

Figure 2 represents a front plan view, partly in section, of one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 represents a vertical cross-sectional View along.

line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 represents a horizontal cross-sectional view along line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 represents a vertical cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3, of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 represents a vertical cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3, of yet another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 represents a perspective view of two of the acoustic devices of the present invention in operative juxtaposition at the intersection of two planar surfaces.

Figure S-a represents a. perspective view of four of the acoustic devices of the present invention in operative juxtaposition on a single horizontal planar surface.

Figure S-b represents a perspective view of four of the acoustic devices of the present invention in operative juxtaposition on a single vertical planar surface.

Figure 9 represents a perspective View of eight of the acoustic devices of the present invention, supported in mid-air, as an outdoor arena or the like.

The horn-and-cabinet 20 which is one embodiment ofA the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 in elusive includes side panels 21 and 22 joined (as by the corner-post 23-a) at the corner 2.3, with the respective Y 2,792,069- Patented May 14, 1957I i?. edges 24 and 2S spaced from each other. A generally triangular panel 26 interconnects the side panels 21 and 22; the edge 27 of the triangular panel 26 interconnecting the corners 23 and 29, respectively of the panels 21 and 22 and the corner 30 spaced from the end 31 of the corner-post 23-a.

intervening between the edges 24 and 25 of the panels 21 and 22, is a generally rectangular panel 36 with its edge 42 in spaced relation to the edge 27 of the panel j 26. A cover 37, triangular in shape, interconnects 'the edges 38 of the panel 36 and the edges 39 and 40, respectively, of thepanels 21 and 22.

The angle or between the plane of the panel 26 and the plane in which the panel 36 lies is, for example, 45 although this angle may vary, as will be hereinafter shown.

Behind the panel 36 is a panel 41, generally trapezoidal in shape, with its edge 35 in abutment with the edge 42 of the panel 36 and with its side edges 43 and 44 in contact with the side panels 21 and 22, respectively, and with the edge 45 in spaced relation to the corner 23.

The panels 21, 22, 26, 36, 37 and 41 form a combined. cabinet-and-horn which is generally wedge-shaped (substantially a right triangular prism). The wedge may be truncated slightly (i. e., the corner-post 23 may form a flat surface between the panels 21 and 22) without adversely affecting hom-operation.

An exponential horn is formed by the panels 26, 21, 41 and 22; said horn having a mouth-opening 46 deiined by the panel edges 42, 24, 27 and 25, and having a'throatopening 47 which is defined by the panels 21 and 22 and the edge 45 of the panel 41. t

The panel 41 is disposed at an angle to the fron panel 36; the angles a and being so related to each other that the horn (between the throat 47 and the mouth 46) is exponential in character; i. e., its-sectional area varies exponentially with its length. For instance,l

the area As (across the mouth 46; see Figure 3) is twice the area A2 and is four times the area A1 (across the throat 47); d being the distance Within which the area doubles.

As is shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, a speaker 48 may be mounted on the panel 36 behind an opening 49 therein with the concave side of the speaker facing toward the opening 49. Thus, the higher frequency notes are radiated into the room directly through the opening 49.

The low frequency notes below 600 cycles are radiated from the convex side of the speaker-cone 48 through the chamber 50 and enter the horn through the throat 47 and are radiated into the room through the mouth 46.

When the horn ofthe present invention is disposed inf a room-corner (at the juncture of three intersecting plane surfaces) the effective mouth area is six times the actual` mouth-area; the Walls or surfaces adjacent the mouth 46l In the embodiment 55 illustrated in Figure 6 a pair of speakers is used;v a high-frequency speaker or tweeterl 56 is mounted across the aperture 49 in the panel 3 6 and a low frequencyv speaker or woofer 57 is mounted across the throat-47 on the panel 53. j

In an'exponential horn the'actual taper or'rate of' are (the distance in which the area doubles) should be a function of the desired cutoff frequency; the relationship being approximately The edges 32 and 33 of the panel' 26 are in Contact with the panels 21 and 22, respectively;l

v 62.5 Dlstmce (m feQ-frequency (cycles/sec.)

Moreover, the effective mouth area should have an area which is approximately equal to the area of a circle whose diameter is times the wave length (in feet) of the desired cutoff frequency.

For instance, an exponential horn having an 80 cycle cutoff should have a taper of or .78 feet and the effectivernouth area-should be or 2110 square inches. An actual specimen of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1-4 inclusive built for 80 cycle cutoff, had a throat area of approximately 72 square inches with the horn section doubling in area every 9.35 inches with the mouth approximately 18.7 inches from the throat and having an approximate area of 292 square inches (or an effective mouth-area of approximately 1752 square inches).

ln addition, the horn of the present invention, though folded to reduce its size, does not bend through more than 180 fromtthroat to mouth.

The horn-and-cabinet of the present invention, though most effective when used at the juncture of three planar surfaces, can be used (in groups of two) at the juncture of twol planar surfaces, as illustrated in Figure 7, or in groups of four along a single planar surface, as illustrated in Figures S-a and S-b, or, if eight are grouped together as illustrated in Figure 9, can be suspended in space.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is the following:

1. A cabinet including both a loud-speaker enclosure and a horn having a throat and a mouth, said cabinet comprised of 6 panels, 4 of which are plane panels, each inclined to each other and so disposed in relation to each other as to define, therebetween, a horn, the sectional area of which varies generally exponentially with its length between throat and mouth, the remaining panels so disposed in relation to each other and to three of the aforementioned plane'panels as to define therebetween the said speaker enclosure.

2. A cabinet including both a loud-speaker enclosure and a horn having a throat and a mouth, said cabinet comprised of 6 panels, 4 of which are plane panels, each inclined to each other and so disposed in relation to each other as to define, therebetween, a horn, the sectional area of which varies generally exponentially with its length between throat and mouth, the remaining panels so disposed in relation to each other and to three of the aforementionedl plane panels as to define therebetween the said speaker enclosure, two of said horn-defining panels being disposed at an angle to each other, each of the other two horn-forming panels being connected to and intervening between each of the first two horn-forming panels.

3. A cabinet including both a loud-speaker enclosure and a horn having a throat and a mouth, said cabinet comprised of 6 panels, 4 of which are plane panels, each inclined to each other and so disposed in relation to each other as to define, therebetween, a horn, the sectional area of which varies generally exponentially with its length between throat and mouth, the remaining panels so disposed in relation to each other and to three of the aforementioned plane panels as to define therebetween the said speaker enclosure, one of said horn-forming panels being generally triangular in shape.

4. A cabinet including both a loud-speaker enclosure and a horn having a throat and a mouth, said cabinet comprised of 6 panels, 4 of which are plane panels, each inclined to each other and so disposed in relation to each other as to define, therebetween, a horn, the sectional area of which varies generally exponentially with its length between throat and mouth, the remaining panels so disi posed in relation to each other and to three of the aforementioned plane panels as to define therebetween the said speaker enclosure, one of said horn-forming panels being generally trapezoidal in shape.

5. A cabinet including both a loud-speaker enclosure and a horn having a throat and a mouth, said cabinet comprised of 6 panels, 4 of which are plane panels, each inclined to each other and so disposed in relation to each other as to define, therebetween, a horn, the sectional area of which varies generally exponentially with its length between throat and mouth, the remaining panels so disposed in relation to each other and to three of the aforementioned plane panels as to define therebetween the said speaker enclosure, said throat being generally triangular in shape.

6. A cabinet including both a loud-speaker enclosure and a horn having a throat and a mouth, said cabinet comprised of 6 panels, 4 of which are plane panels, each inclined to each other and so disposed in relation to each other as to define, therebetween, a horn, the sectional area of which varies generally exponentially with its length between throat and mouth, the remaining two panels so disposed in relation to each other and to three of the aforementioned plane panels as to define therebetween the said speaker enclosure, said mouth being rectangular in shape.

7. A cabinet including both a loud-speaker enclosure and a horn having a throat and a mouth, said cabinet comprised of 6 panels, 4 of which are plane panels, each inclined to each other and so disposed in relation to each other as to define, therebetween, a horn, the sectionai area of which varies generally exponentially with its length between throat and mouth, the remaining two panels so disposed in relation to each other and to three of the aforementioned plane panels as to define therebetween said speaker enclosure, said horn being operative- 1y connected to said enclosure at its throat.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,804,306 Bender May 5, 1931 1,819,721 Stone Aug. 18, 1931 Y2,224,919 Olson Dec. 17, 1940 2,310,243 Klipsch Feb. 9, 1943 2,337,213 Topping Dec. 2l, 1943 2,604,182 Massa July 22, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Publication: Article by Johnson in Radio and Television News, September 1951, pages 63 and 144.

Publication: Article by Augspurger in Audio Engg., November 195,1, pages 24, 25, 27 and 67.

Publication: Audio Engineering, November 1951, page 26. 

